Questions You Might Be Asked by the Insurance Company After a Car Accident

If you’ve been injured or suffered property damage in a car accident, you will likely file an insurance claim with your own auto insurer and with the insurer of another motorist whom you believe was responsible for the crash. However, after you do so, you may be contacted by an insurance adjuster. The adjuster will be looking for any angle they can use to reduce the value of your claim and to get you to accept as little money as possible in a settlement.

Before you are contacted by insurance company representatives, you should familiarize yourself with the types of questions that insurance adjusters ask following a car accident. 

What to Do When the Insurance Company Contacts You After an Accident

Following your car accident, the insurance company that you have filed your accident claim with will likely contact you for a statement to understand what happened in the accident, from your point of view, and to understand the extent of your expenses and losses. It is generally not recommended that you provide a statement to an insurance adjuster until you have first spoken to a car accident attorney. 

The insurance adjuster is looking for you to provide a statement, so that they can use something you say as evidence that your injuries or damages are not as serious as you claim, or that you were partly or entirely at fault for the crash.

If you talk to an insurance adjuster soon after the accident, you may not yet fully understand the extent of the injuries you suffered in the crash, or you may not even realize that you’ve been injured at all. When you later try to make a claim for compensation for your injuries, the adjuster may determine that your injuries were caused or made worse by something other than the accident.

Read more: What Details Are Needed For A Car Insurance Claim?

Common Questions Asked By Insurers Following a Car Crash

When you talk to an insurance adjuster, you can expect to be asked certain questions. Examples of questions that you can feel comfortable answering include:

• When did the accident happen?
• What vehicle (make/model/year/VIN) were you driving at the time of the accident?
• Were any other vehicles involved?
• What damage did your vehicle suffer?
• Does your vehicle need repair? Have you taken it to an auto or body shop?
• Was a police report drafted or an accident report filed?

However, certain questions you likely may be asked that you probably shouldn’t answer until you’ve first consulted with an attorney about whether to discuss those details with the insurance company include:

• Where were you traveling from, and where were you heading to at the time of the accident?
• Were you wearing your seatbelt?
• How did the accident happen?
• Did anyone witness the accident? If so, do you have their contact information?
• Were you injured in the crash?
• Were you treated by EMS at the scene, or did you go to the hospital or to see your primary doctor after the accident?

Once you have legal representation, if you are contacted by an insurance adjuster you can request that the adjuster direct all communications regarding your claim to your attorney. Your attorney can then provide the insurance company with the information it needs while ensuring that your legal rights and options are being protected.

Read more: Can I Still File A Lawsuit Even If I Live In A No-Fault State?

Contact a Scotch Plains Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Bramnick, Rodriguez, Grabas, Arnold & Mangan, LLC represent clients injured because of car accidents in New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Paterson, Passaic, and throughout New Jersey. Call (908) 325-5571 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 1827 E. 2nd St., Scotch Plains, NJ 07076, as well as offices in Westfield, Newark, East Brunswick, Clifton, Cherry Hill, and Elizabeth.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.